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From Replicants to Ancient Aliens – Exploring ‘Prometheus’ 10 Years Later

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Erich Von Däniken first popularized the Ancient Astronaut theory way back in 1968 with the release of his controversial Chariots of the Gods?, which suggested that human civilization was influenced by extraterrestrials that inspired primitive religions. Though the book has been heavily criticized by academics due to its misleading presentation of legitimate historical findings, its popularity has led to everything from sensationalist TV shows to online conspiracy groups, with many people becoming obsessed with this peculiar bit of pseudoscience.

Ancient aliens would explain many coincidences and inconsistencies in our species’ history, so it makes sense that people would become captivated by an idea that acts as a bridge between faith and science, mixing traditional evolution with hints of creationism. While the rise of Fake News and science deniers has made conspiratorial discussions a contentious subject, you’ve got to admit that these concepts make for compelling genre narratives. After all, the hallmark of good science fiction is using futuristic technology and fringe theories to explore intrinsically human concepts like faith and existentialism, so it stands to reason that Ancient Astronauts have become a part of popular fiction.

And the way I see it, there’s one particular movie that stands out with its chilling use of the concept, which would be Ridley Scott’s controversial Alien prequel, Prometheus. It’s been a decade since I first watched it in theaters, but I still look back on the film with a mix of wonder and fascination. Don’t get me wrong, the movie is no masterpiece by any stretch of the imagination, suffering from a clunky script, questionable action sequences and some shallow character work, but the picture is built around a series of burning questions that still resonate 10 years later, which is why I’d like to talk about it.

A follow-up to 1997’s Alien Resurrection was actually in the works since 2002, when James Cameron reached out to Sir Ridley Scott with the intention of producing the next chapter in Ellen Ripley’s xenomorph-busting saga. These plans were ultimately canceled when Fox decided to focus on the development of Alien vs. Predator, which led to a falling out with Cameron. However, seeds of that unmade project would eventually lead to Jon Spaihts writing Alien: Engineers in 2009, with that screenplay becoming the predecessor to Prometheus.

It may not be completely superior to the finished product, but I’d highly recommend checking out this original script as it makes a bit more sense than the final draft and some of the set pieces are scarier. Engineers actually led directly into the events of 1979’s Alien, adding a Lovecraftian spin to the origins of both humanity and the xenomorphs as it filled in some of the gaps left in by the original series. In fact, the story was so Lovecraftian that this production ended up sabotaging Guillermo Del Toro’s proposed At the Mountains of Madness adaptation, which featured nearly identical action scenes and plot twists.

There’s no denying the flick’s Lovecraftian influences.

However, Scott ended up consulting with Lost co-creator Damon Lindelof before production began, with the writer suggesting that the project be revised into an open-ended spin-off only tangentially related to the Alien films. Not wanting to repeat himself, Scott ultimately agreed, hiring Lindelof to rework the story with him during the next couple of months. While I have several objections with the alterations made to Spaihts’ script, even I have to admit that making Prometheus stand on its own was the right move.

Even so, the finished film’s overall plot was mostly unaltered. It still followed a group of scientists travelling to a distant planet after archeologists discover a series of clues suggesting that extraterrestrials visited mankind in the past, leaving behind star maps so that they could one day make contact. This Weyland (pre-Yutani) funded expedition ultimately leads the team down an ancient aliens inspired rabbit hole as they discover the sinister intentions that these Alien Engineers had for our species.

Along the way, the story makes use of several religious references, incorporating everything from horrific virgin births to multicultural creation myths and even alluding to the Alien Jesus conspiracy theory. While this important bit of lore is excised from the finished film, Scott would later admit that one of the Engineers’ main motivations for wanting to exterminate humanity was the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, who was apparently a peaceful alien emissary sent by a superior species to aid us in our cosmic evolution.

While removing such a controversial idea makes sense from a marketing point of view, it’s a shame that Scott wasn’t allowed to go all-out with these batshit crazy theories. The director is clearly fascinated with religious and existential themes, and even if you’re not a fan of Prometheus, you’ve got to admit that these are brave concepts to explore in a big-budget blockbuster. Scott would even revisit several of these ideas later on in both Alien: Covenant (another underrated sci-fi/horror romp that deserves its own re-evaluation) and the tragically underseen HBO series Raised by Wolves.

Prometheus is actually filled to the brim with references to Scott’s other work, with several sci-fi elements harkening back to Blade Runner. Weyland’s “I want more life” motivation is clearly a nod to Rutger Hauer’s Roy Batty, and Michael Fassbender’s entire character seems to be a riff on the themes explored in the iconic Phillip K. Dick adaptation. While David is technically not a replicant, the film’s supplemental material hints that Weyland and the Tyrell corporations once competed to produce synthetic life, placing the two franchises in the same universe.

PROMETHEUS | via FOX

David is the real star of the show.

Beyond the esoteric story, the rest of the film is also a masterful achievement in filmmaking. Thanks to the regal influence of Sir Ridley Scott, this pulpy sci-fi thriller boasts a surprisingly star-studded cast, featuring the likes of Noomi Rapace, Charlize Theron, Idris Elba and the always-lovable Benedict Wong. Even the stereoscopic photography is top-notch, with Dariusz Wolski making this one of the most impressively shot 3D movies out there.

The horror elements are also quite effective, with sinister touches like composer Marc Streitenfeld making the orchestra play his score (and unused Alan Silvestri compositions) backwards and then reversing the music so it sounded eerie in the final film. This creative approach to the film’s scares also extends to its visual design, with the production team originally wanting to avoid copying H.R. Giger’s iconic visuals. However, they soon realized that it was impossible to get away from the artist’s biomechanical nightmares when designing anything xenomorph-related, so Giger was inevitably brought on board as a consultant. Prometheus is actually the final motion picture to benefit from the Swiss artist’s input, with Giger contributing to the project with several new extraterrestrial designs.

Prometheus noomi rapace

These qualities don’t quite excuse infamous blunders like Rapace engaging in intense action sequences minutes after undergoing horrific surgery or less-than-intelligent moments like supposed experts endangering the entire expedition due to unprofessional behavior, but I firmly believe that the creative intent here outshines the film’s flaws. If you think about it, these blemishes only stand out because the filmmaking surrounding them is so damned good in the first place, not because they ruin the experience.

In all honesty, the only issue that truly bothers me here is the bloated ensemble, which doesn’t allow for talented thespians like Elba and Guy Pearce to fully develop their admittedly interesting characters. The over-reliance on supplemental materials like the viral marketing campaign (which produced a series of brilliant short films and in-universe advertisements) to fully comprehend the story is also a bit annoying, especially when so many cool concepts and monster designs wound up on the cutting room floor.

While it’s fun to speculate about the film that Prometheus could have been, I still think that it’s a miracle of a movie despite its numerous flaws. It’s definitely the most creative property to come out of the Alien franchise since the 1979 original, and I think the prequel’s reputation as a missed opportunity is mostly unjustified. In a world where interesting intellectual properties are usually wasted on boring rehashes, Scott somehow managed to gift us with an intelligent standalone thriller that still boasts plenty of treats for hardcore Alien fans, and that’s why it’s still worth revisiting 10 years down the line and beyond.

Ridley Scott's PROMETHEUS

Born Brazilian, raised Canadian, Luiz is a writer and Film student that spends most of his time watching movies and subsequently complaining about them.

Editorials

The 10 Scariest Moments in the ‘Ghostbusters’ Movie Franchise

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WARNING: The following contains mild spoilers for the Ghostbusters franchise. 

Yes, Ghostbusters is a horror movie – gateway horror to be exact. Setting aside the fact that the title literally contains the word “ghost,” a foundational element of the scariest genre, the franchise follows a group of paranormal researchers who battle entities attacking from beyond the grave. After countless rewatches, the classic films and newer sequels may not scare us much anymore, but how many times have we as genre fans asserted that a film does not have to be “scary” to be considered horror?

Genre classification is nebulous and any film that centers on ghosts has a place in the sprawling house of horror. Yes, it’s true that most viewers over the age of thirteen will find more to laugh about than scream while watching a Ghostbusters film, but each entry contains a handful of terrifying moments. With Gil Kenan’s Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire uniting three generations of the parascientific warriors, perhaps it’s time to highlight the most frightening moments from each phase of this legendary franchise. 


Ghostbusters (1984)

A Haunted Library

scariest Ghostbusters movie

Ivan Reitman’s original film begins with a campfire tale come to life. We follow an unsuspecting librarian as she ventures deep into the stacks to reshelve a book. With her hair blowing from a spectral breeze, we watch a hardcover float across the aisle to the opposite shelf. A second book follows, but the librarian remains unaware. She finally notices the disturbance when card catalog drawers open on their own spewing cards into the air like literary geysers. She flees through the maze of narrow stacks only to come face to face with a mysterious force who blows her back with a powerful roar. We won’t see the Library Ghost (Ruth Oliver) until a later scene, but this introduction firmly positions the film that follows in the world of horror. On first watch, we can only speculate as to the ghost’s malevolence and whether or not the librarian has survived the encounter. It’s the perfect introduction to a world in which ghosts are not only real, they will pounce on unsuspecting humans at the drop of a … book. 

Shaky Ground

The original finale may not be the film’s most terrifying moment, but it has become the franchise’s most iconic image. When faced with choosing a form for Gozer (Slavitza Jovan), Ray Stantz (Dan Aykroyd) inadvertently conjures up an image from his childhood. Moments later, a set of once-cheery eyes peer through the skyscrapers. The Stay Puft Marshmallow Man towers over the city, stomping and destroying everything in its path. While there’s definitely something terrifying about a jovial mascot turned deadly killer, what happens moments before is arguably scarier. 

The Ghostbusters arrive at the luxury apartment building to throngs of adoring fans. Peter Venkman (Bill Murray) plays into this hero-worship and promises an easy solution to a supernatural problem. But before they can enter the building, lightning strikes the upper floors sending massive chunks of brick and cement raining down on the barricaded street. The ground begins to shake and a giant fissure swallows the entire team. It’s a destabilizing moment made all the more terrifying by its shocking reality. Speculation about the existence of ghosts may vary from person to person, but there’s no doubt that sinkholes are very real. It’s entirely possible that the ground we’re standing on right now could spontaneously begin to crumble, sucking us down into a seemingly bottomless void beneath the earth. 


Ghostbusters II (1989)

Runaway Baby

Ivan Reitman’s sequel begins with a sly update on the life of a beloved character as Dana Barrett (Sigourney Weaver) pushes a baby carriage containing her infant son Oscar (Henry and William Deutschendorf). When last we saw the attractive cellist, she was kissing Venkman in the wreckage of Gozer’s demise and the thought of this loveable lady’s man becoming a father may be more nerve-wracking than anything contained in the first film. We never learn much about Oscar’s real father, but we do discover that fate has a sinister plan for the adorable child. While Dana chats with her landlord, Oscar’s carriage rolls a few feet away. Dana reaches for the handle, but the buggy begins speeding down the sidewalk careening through the busy crowds. As if guided by unseen hands, the carriage twists and turns, then abruptly swerves into oncoming traffic. Cars honk and veer out of the way, but the racing carriage marks a collision course with an approaching bus. The wheels screech to a halt moments before what would surely be a deadly crash and Dana rushes to embrace her vulnerable child. This harrowing scene is likely to terrorize any parent who’s experienced the fear of trying to protect a baby in an unpredictable world.  

Sewer Screams

scariest Ghostbusters scene

While investigating the second film’s primary villain, Vigo the Carpathian (Wilhelm von Homburg), three of the Ghostbusters venture into the sewers hoping to find a growing river of slime. Ray, Winston (Ernie Hudson), and Egon (Harold Ramis) trek down an abandoned subway line while speculating about the hordes of cockroaches and rats they hear scurrying behind the walls. These vermin may be scary, but there are more malevolent monsters lurking in the dark. Ray and Egon both amuse themselves with the tunnel’s echo but Winston’s “hello” goes unanswered. Moments later, a demonic voice bellows his name from the dark end of the corridor. Waiting behind him is a severed head floating in the empty tunnel. As he tries to retreat, the team finds themselves surrounded by dozens of ghoulish heads that disappear faster than they materialized. Moments later, a ghostly train hurtles towards them, swallowing Winston in its spectral glow. Egon theorizes that something is trying to keep them from reaching their destination with effective scares designed to frighten the Ghostbusters and audience alike.  


Ghostbusters (2016)

Haunted Basement

Like its predecessor, Paul Feig’s remake opens with a spooky vignette. Garrett (Zach Woods) gives a tour of the Aldridge Mansion, a 19th century manor preserved in the middle of the busy city, and walks visitors through a troubling history of excess and cruelty. Hoping to inject a bit of excitement, he pauses near the basement door and tells the horrifying story of Gertrude Aldridge (Bess Rous), a wealthy heiress who murdered the house’s many servants. Hoping to avoid a public scandal, her family locked her in the basement and her restless spirit can still be heard trying to escape. Garrett triggers a trick candlestick to fly off the shelf, hinting at the spirit’s presence, but a late night incident shows that the deceased murderess may actually be lurking in her ancestral home. While closing up for the night, Garrett hears ominous noises from behind the barricaded door and watches the knob rattle against the heavy locks. An unseen attacker hurls him through the house and eventually drives him down the basement stairs to a sea of green slime pooling on the floor. The stairs crumble leaving the tour guide hanging on to the door frame for dear life as a spectral figure glides toward him with menacing hands outstretched. Once again, we won’t see the fully revealed ghost of Gertrude Aldridge until later in the film, but this terrifying opening sets the stage for a dangerous showdown with an army of the dead.

Mannequin On the Move

The scariest moment of the 2016 remake is arguably the vicious online hatred sparked well before the film’s release. In response to brutal comments posted to the first official trailer, the cast returned to film an additional scene in which they react to dehumanizing negativity. But another sequence may cut closer to the heart of this upsetting experience. The Ghostbusters respond to a call at a concert venue and split up to cover more ground. Patty (Leslie Jones) enters what she calls a “room full of nightmares” and immediately reverses course to avoid a multitude of mannequins stacked haphazardly in the dark. As she walks out the door, one of the faceless creatures turns its head her way. Walking on its own, this sentient prop follows her down the hall, pausing the moment she turns around. Eventually breaking cover, the mannequin chases Patty down the hall to the rest of the team. They unleash their proton packs and make quick work of the gargoyle-like ghost. Though this connection is surely unintentional, it’s a terrifying parallel to a faceless monster sneaking up to attack a woman simply trying to do her job. 


Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021)

Smoke and Monsters

While Ghostbusters: Afterlife is nowhere near as scary as the horror films playing in the local summer school science class, Jason Reitman’s legacyquel does contain its share of frights. The film opens with a harrowing scene as we join Egon (Oliver Cooper) in the last moments of his life. Racing away from a sinister mountain, Egon’s truck collides with an unseen force and flips upside down in a field of corn. The elderly scientist races back to his crumbling farmhouse with a trap in hand, intent on ensnaring this invisible being. Unfortunately, the power fails and Egon has no choice but to hide the trap under the floorboards and wait. He sits in a comfortable old chair as a horrifying cloud of smoke drifts in behind him, momentarily forming the shape of a fanged beast. Demonic hands grab him from within the chair, likely causing the heart attack that will be listed on his death certificate. But his abandoned PKE meter below the chair activates, reminding us that Egon may be deceased, but he is far from gone.  

The Terror Returns

scariest Ghostbusters moments

Ghostbusters: Afterlife turns out to be a touching tribute to Harold Ramis as his friends and family unite to complete the beloved scientist’s heroic mission. In addition to a tearjerker ending, Reitman also includes a bevy of callbacks to the original film. Not only do the Spenglers square off against the team’s first enemy, Gozer (Emma Portner), the nonbinary entity brings back the Terror Dogs that once possessed Dana Barret and Louis Tully (Rick Moranis). These demonic beasts first rear their ugly heads while Gary Grooberson (Paul Rudd) stops by Walmart to buy a midnight snack. While the horde of mini marshmallow men are eerie in their gleeful self-destruction, the ghostly canine that chases him through the store is the stuff of nightmares. Early iterations of this fearsome creature are hindered by ’80s-era special effects, but Reitman’s version feels frighteningly real. While Gary frantically tries to find his keys, this Terror Dog snarls at him from atop his car dashboard, leaving the endearing science teacher with no way to escape. 


Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (2024)

Frozen Dinner 

After a film set in a small mountain town, the opening of Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire takes us back to New York circa 1904. We see the fire station in its early years as a horse-drawn carriage responds to a call. Arriving at the scene, a fireman tests the door for heat and watches in horror as his hand instantly freezes. Inside, they find jagged shards of ice surrounding and piercing a frozen dinner party. Guests are posed in various states of ice-covered surprise while an eerie record skips in the corner. A figure covered in brass armor we will come to know as a Fire Master is crouched in the corner clutching a mysterious orb. When the fireman touches this rippling sphere, the frozen diners’ heads begin to explode, an ominous precursor to the chilling threat awaiting the newest Ghostbusting team. 

Lights Out

If Ghostbusters: Afterlife featured the lo-fi gear of the 80s, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire hurls us into the future. Wealthy financier Winston Zeddemore has been surreptitiously building a new containment unit to relieve pressure on the original model along with a secret lab designed to study ghosts and haunted objects. In addition to fancy new gadgets and gear, this facility contains several captured spirits like a fanged Wraith and a speedy Possessor. Lab techs assure the astonished Spengler team that they are perfectly safe, but it seems they’ve overestimated the facility’s security. Lucky (Celeste O’Connor) and Lars (James Acaster) are studying the aforementioned orb when the power goes out, leaving them stranded in the dark with a cache of haunted objects. Not only does the ancient sphere hold a deadly spirit, the proton fields containing the captured ghosts have just been disabled. These terrifying creatures begin to drift through the walls toward the defenseless lab techs, perhaps at the bidding of an evil commander. Thankfully the generator kicks on in the nick of time, drawing the ghosts back into their cells. It’s a tense moment reminding us that no matter how charming the Ghostbusters may be, they still spend their days with evil spirits just waiting for an opportunity to wreak havoc.  


The Ghostbusters franchise excels at mixing humor and fear, practically setting the blueprint for the modern horror comedy. Moments from the original two films terrified a generation of gen-xers and elder millennials and newer iterations are currently scaring their kids. The fifth franchise installment effectively passes the proton pack torch to a new generation of Ghostbusters and we can only hope additional films will continue to induct future generations of Ghostbusters fans into the horror family as well. 

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire is now playing in theaters. Read our review.

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